Minnow bucket



J. B- LEWIS MINNOW BUCKET June 28, 1949'.

s Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed June 21, 1947 I fiTORNEY.

J. B. LEWIS MINNOW BUCKET June V28, 1949.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jung 2]., 1947 INVENTOR, JOHN B. Lew: IYWQ IflTToR NEY.

' June 28, 1949. J. B. LEWIS 2,474,745

mm BUCKET 31194 June 21, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 3 l 33 INVENTOR,

Jomv B. Lewis, :BY fiTORNEY.

Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED STATES PTNT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a minnow bucket and has for a primary objectthe provision of means for delivering a limited number of minnows at a.time through at least one side door of the bucket. A further object ofthe invention is to provide a structure wherein the minnows may belifted out of the water in the bucket and delivered through an upperside door with the minimum amount of handling; and further be delivereddirectly into the hand of the fisherman held immediately around thedoor. Other important objects of the invention reside in the uniquefeatures of the construction as included in the appended claims, suchother objects becoming more apparent to those versed in the art in thefollowing description of the one particular form of the invention asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view incentral vertical section through a minnow bucket embodying theinvention;

Fig, 2 is a detail in outside elevation of a door in closed position onthe bucket;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the upper portion of thebucket on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5--5 in Fig. 1 with thestructure revolved 90 degrees from the position indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a detached door structure, and i Fig,7 is a view in perspective of a modified form of the door structure.

Referring to the drawings in which like characters of reference indicatelike parts, a minnow bucket ill of the usual form is provided havingperforations ll around its upper portion. An upper closure I2 isprovided having the usual lid l3, opening of which permits access to theinside of the bucket I0. A bail H3 is provided as a means for liftingand carrying about the bucket.

At diametrically spaced positions are secured to the under side of theclosure l2, nipples l5 and 16, serving as guides for the posts H and I8slidingly carried therethrough, and through the 010- sure 42 to have abail i9 interconnect their upper ends. Each of these posts H and G8 areinterconnected across their lower ends by a bar or plate '20. The outerends of the bar 20 are slidingly guided between vertically disposedchannel guides 2| and 22 which are secured to the side wall of thebucket 10. 1

An elongated, perforated or foraminous basket 23 herein shown as formedout of wire screen material is centrally mounted on and carried by thebar ZEI, The floor 60 of this basket 23 slopes downwardly from each sideof the bar 2|] in opposite directions toward the side wall of the bucketl0, and is wider at that portion immediately about the bar 20. lhebasket 23 has vertically disposed side walls 24 and 25, the outer endsof which adjacent the wall I!) on each side thereof are spaced to equalsubstantially the width of the diametrically opposed openings, 26 and 21through the side wall of the bucket [0.

Normally, the basket 23 drops by gravity to the lowermost position asindicated by dash lines in Fig. 1 where the down-turned lips I31 and 28under the outer ends of the basket '23 rest on the floor 29 of thebucket.

By lifting the bail IS the basket 23 is carried to the upper portion ofthe bucket 10 to the upper limit as determined by the shoulders 30 and3|, Fig. 3, provided around the posts I! and IS, the shoulders 39 and 3|striking respectively the under sides of the members 15 and It. When inthis position, the open ends of the basket 23 register respectively withthe bucket side openings 26 and 21.

As indicated in Fig. 2, each of these openings 26 and 21 is closedrespectively by doors 32 and 33 normally held in closed position bymeans of torsion springs 34 and 6| respectively. Figs. 1 and 2.

The doors may be provided in a form which will cause the doors toautomatically open at lifting of the basket 23 to its extreme upperposition, or the door may remain closed and be opened manually. Bothforms are herein shown, Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 6 illustrating a structureattached to the door 33 which will permit the door to remain closedregardless of travel of the basket 23, whereas in Fig. 7, the door 32has a structure attached thereto causing it to open automatically bytravel of the basket 23.

Referring to the door 32, it is hinged along its lower end by the pin 35through ears 3% and 3'! fixed on the bucket l0 so that the door 32 hasto be swung upwardly to a vertical position to close the opening '26. Oneach side of the door are metal side plates 38 and 39 respectively withtheir outer edge rounded so that these plates 38 and 39 may swingthrough the opening 26 inside of the bucket ill to permit the door 32 toclose. The upper edges of these plates 32 and are interconnected by acurved plate 40. This plate 4!! terminates by an outer edge 4| at adistance from the door 32 as an opening through which 3 minnows may bedropped in a controlled manner, that is, so that they cannot flop overthe side plates 38 and 39. Then there are side wings 42 and 43 turned atright angles from the side plates 38 and 39 respectively to serve asstops to strike the inside wall of the bucket Iii when the door 32 is insubstantially a horizontal position, Fig. 1. Furthermore the curvedplate 40 continues on around from the side plates 38 and 39 to be in thepath of i-theiside' walls 24 and-250i the basket 23, theleng'th ofthisoverhanging portion of the length 40 being sufiicient that when the door32 is in a closed position, the lifting of the basket 23 will cause theside walls 24 and :25 to strikethe plate 40 and thus rock the door 32outwardly and into its lowermost position, Fig. 1.

The other type of door 33 carriesthe sideplates 44 and 45 between whicha short length'of a curved plate 46 is mounted, terminating-by: an outeredge 4'! to leave:space between it and the door; 33 IfOI?mlH-HOWSwtO-feed .outtherebetween. rThe, other-end (portion. of -.the; :plate 46 isprovided z' with a central rtongue -td-between the sidesaM Hand-45 toleaverspaces orslotsAfleandz-fiii;between .i tithe-tongue and :thesrespective-e side :walls. l The l :vertical edges; (door :ina-horizontal -p051t10n --0f the wplates 4 4.1.andr 45 care :provided withathe ears l- -=and=-=56-1to strike'the insidewof thew-all. of thebucket-i=0 to maintainithe door=33 insubstantially avhorizontallydisposed position,

In reference! to the door-"33 1' assuming il'rtO'ibB in the closedposition-Fig.- li-thebucketz-fl may be irais'ed to its ,upper"limitwhichiwill bringrthe abasket walls :24 :and -25 into the;s1otsi49eands5il izwithout'in any way-causingithedooriwi to move. 1 mhen therdoorssaemay wbeapu-lled open :and- :the minnows on the inclinedsurfaces-of, the basket 1- immediately back-of t'hGL'ldODI- WHIF slidedownvand out through whee-opening between theadoor and-theedgev41.-\Thelcurvedplates'andi lfi in'each,

.- instance-iservelto confine the minnows-to therewstrictedispace: oventhe-respective doors.

While :the' invention has-be'enddescribed in:- the toneparticular1tormin detail;: it. is, obvious tthat .r-structuralevariations may? beiembodiecl without 4 4 departing from the spirit of the invention;-=andL Lrthereforeadoil-notudesireto be flim-ited-;to-'thatspreciseitormebeyond'the ili-m-itations which may "the; imposed by-thefollowing claims.

,ioutwardly andr rdowniwardly to form discharge tchutesfromsaid.basketiopenings.

2. A live bait container-comprising acbucket; a basket:- carried-:therewi-thim-i membersshiftable *rvertically of v-,the-;bucketu-ior:l-iftingeand :lowering msaid basketnsaid =basket having .at.oppositeIsidesi arestricted; openings therefrom atthe floor level of 4the basket; said bucket having side; openings coinvoiding with saidbasket openings .when theebasket is in -l tan uppermost-position and adoor over each of saidtbucketropeni-ngs hingedlto;openi'outwvardlyandadownwardlytorform discharge: chutes ;-fromsaidbasketopenings; said doors having side Ar live baitacontainer comprisingaubueket;

a basket carried therewithin; members shiftable vertically of the bucketfor lifting and lowering said basket; said basket having at oppositesides restricted openings therefrom at the floor level 5 of the basket;said bucket having side openings coinciding with said basket openingswhen the basket is in an uppermost position; and a door over each ofsaid bucket openings hinged to open outwardly and downwardly to formdischarge 10.; chutes from said basketiopenings; said doors hav- "ingside members, a floor member and a cover member between the sidesforming said chutes; ==i at least one of said door cover membersextending 1 v.irrcmthe top portion of said basket when the doors 15 arein an open position.

4; Alive bait container comprising a bucket; a basket therein; membersfor lifting and lowering said basket toward the top and bottom of the.z-bucket; said basket having sides and a floor there- 29 betweeninclined downwardly toward and termiwnating in close proXimityto-thewall of the bucket, the basket-having an outer end-openingfromoversaidfioonbetween said sides; 'sa-idbucket-having an opening through itssides- -to coincide with-said basket.ropening .when the'basket is inlanelevated SQ' abasket therein; membersi-forolifting and lower- 0 ingzsaid 1 basket toward: the top-:and ebottom, of

, the bucket said basket shaving sides and a; floor i therebetweeninclined.- 1 downwardly-toward and terminating inclosefproxi-mityrtorthe walli'of the E5. bucket, the basket-havinganputer-wnd :opening --from over said floor betweensaids'ides; saidbuckx ethaving an openingithroughits sides to coincide with said basket'opening when thebasket is J in an :elevatedxposition; and a doornormallykclosed over said bucket opening; hinged toopen downwardly to bean extension of the floor of -said basket; and amember 'carriedby said-do0r-ex= tending inwardly-therefrom relative to the closed door-position to be "in the path-"of'said basket, whereby upward t-ravel'ofthe basketwill carryit against said door member androck thedoor to anopen position.

6. A live bait container, comprising; a bucket;

F a basket therein;- members'forlifting and lowering said basket toward"the. top and bottom of t,he

bucket; said baskethaving sides and a floortherebetween inclineddownwardly toward .andtermimating in close proximityto, the wallet thebucket, the basket having an outerlendlopening fromover said floorbetween said sides; saidib11cket having an openingthrough its sides to.coincide with said "basket opening. when the: basketis in an elevated"position; and a idoonnormally closed over said bucket opening hinged..to .open: downwardly to provide a'fl'oor extensioneof the-floor. of.said basket; and armember carried by. said door extending inwardlytherefrom relativetoithe-closed door position. to. hem the path ofsaid-basket, whereby upward travel of, the .basket @willcarry it againstsaid door .member. and rock the. door to an open .positionpsaid 'doormember. comprising a hood spaced from thelfloor extension.

'7. A live-bait. container comprising a bucket; a basket carriedtherewithin: members-,shiftable iverticallyof the bucket for liftin zandlowering said basket; .saidbasketzhaving :at opposite sides restrictedopenings therefrom Late-the floor .level of the basket; said bucket,havingtside openings -7 coinciding with": :said: ;basket:::openings:whenI-the 6 REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 986,229 Seeger Mar, 7, 19111,961,055 Lewin May 29, 1934 2,160,436 Jones May 30, 1939

